Google fined over €400m by Irish regulator for location data use

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) has imposed a fine of more than €400 million (£345 million) on Google after a watchdog report warned that users may have been unaware that their personal information was being used to target advertisements and infer their interests. The regulator’s action follows complaints from several European consumer organisations alleging that Google manipulated users into consenting to continuous location tracking on their mobile devices, effectively monitoring every step they took.

The DPC’s decision cites violations of EU data‑protection rules, noting that Google’s practices lacked transparent and informed consent and allowed the company to process location data for advertising purposes without adequate user awareness. The substantial penalty underscores heightened enforcement of privacy regulations across Europe and signals that tech firms may face similar scrutiny if they fail to meet strict consent standards in the future.